Category Archives: Economy

Rock, Paper, City; Generosity at Caesars, shopping at Sands

Posted on November 2, 2011 by David McKee

While Massachusetts lawmakers sharpen their scissors in order to cut and paste two versions of the Lege’s casino-enabling bill, the city of Holyoke is happy to find itself between Hard Rock International and Paper City Development. The partnership has its … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, Harrah's, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, The Strip, Tribal | 1 Comment

Going home again; Hotel Hell: The sequel

Posted on November 1, 2011 by David McKee

Here’s a casino-development story with several personal angles. When I lived in Minneapolis and wrote from the since-defunct Twin Cities Reader, my publisher was R.T. Rybak. Now he’s mayor of the city and is trying to hold onto the perennially … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Cordish Co., Culinary Union, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Genting, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, Isle of Capri, Lyle Berman, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Minnesota, Neil Bluhm, Ohio, Penn National, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 4 Comments

Domino effects

Posted on October 31, 2011 by David McKee

“Prior to the official opening, a 60-minute opening ceremony was held outside of the main entrance to the casino, where local and state politicians patted each other on the back for finally getting the casino opened, a mere 10 years … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Colony Capital, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, Florida, Harrah's, Horseracing, Isle of Capri, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Politics, Problem gambling, Racinos, Regulation, Singapore, Slot routes, Taxes, Tourism, Tribal | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 31, 2011 by David McKee

“The north will let the heathens in the south have the casinos, and they’ll take the benefits.” — former casino opponent (and Florida governor) Jeb Bush, during a recent visit to Las Vegas, putting his money on the expansion of … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Florida, Politics | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

Is MGM Grand Detroit too successful for its own good?

Posted on October 28, 2011 by David McKee

From a labor-relations standpoint, yes. Although workers at Greektown Casino were quick to ratify a new collective-bargaining agreement, closely followed by MotorCity Casino, it was a different story across town. Employees of MGM Grand Detroit decided their union reps were … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Current, Detroit, Economy, Election, MGM Mirage, New York, Penn National, Racinos, Sheldon Adelson, Sports, Tourism, Wall Street | 1 Comment

Who needs “Tower Heist”?

Posted on October 28, 2011 by David McKee

Here at S&G HQ, we try to offer a video goodie every Friday. This week we ask the question, why plunk down 10 hard-earned bucks for cheesebag Brett Ratner‘s Tower Heist when you could hold out for … Stealing Las … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Downtown, Economy, Movies, Tamares Group | Comments Off on Who needs “Tower Heist”?

Station: We love ourselves

Posted on October 27, 2011 by David McKee

If you live in the Las Vegas area, you’ve been exposed to the months-long “We Love Locals” ad blitz with which Station Casinos has been attempting to shore up its image. The company’s heedless expansionism, exorbitant executive salaries, its LBO … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Economy, Marketing, Movies, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, TV | 2 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 26, 2011 by David McKee

“This is what it has come to for the man who created a Nevada wave in 2008, winning the state by 12 percentage points, pulling Democrats up and down the ticket to victory … [President Barack] Obama previously had been … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, Politics | 1 Comment

Quotations from Chairman Steve; Elvis catches fire

Posted on October 26, 2011 by David McKee

Perhaps due to his eagerness to get Wynn Cotai jump-started, Steve Wynn has become an even more pliant sock puppet for China‘s central government than was Sheldon Adelson. It must be a source of great amusement among the ruling elite … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, International, Macau, Maryland, Penn National, Pennsylvania, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Steve Wynn, Taxes, TV, West Virginia | 3 Comments

Lies, damned lies & Illinois; Casino overboard!

Posted on October 25, 2011 by David McKee

Way to go, Joe Canfora! The Merit Casino CEO shows how impressive a statistic can sound when taken out of context. By stating “there are more slot machines per 100,000 people in Iowa than there are in Illinois,” Canfora craftily … Continue reading →

Posted in Ameristar, Current, Economy, Harrah's, Illinois, Iowa, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Regulation | 1 Comment

Detroit: one down, two to go

Posted on October 25, 2011 by David McKee

Workers at eternally struggling Greektown Casino didn’t need a translator to read the handwriting on the wall. Nearly 75% of them voted to ratify a new union contract last night. In return for modest financial incentives, employees will be shouldering … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Economy, The Strip | Comments Off on Detroit: one down, two to go

Detroit: The art of the deal

Posted on October 24, 2011 by David McKee

Labor unions in Detroit will have a hard time selling the rank and file on their new pact with three Motown casinos. Despite enjoying an upward revenue trend, the casinos appear to be pleading poverty, requiring that workers pay a … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Detroit, Economy, MGM Mirage, Ohio | 1 Comment

Aliante Station changes hands but little else; Amigo Adelson

Posted on October 21, 2011 by David McKee

Aliante Station is now formally the property of Texas Pacific Group, Standard General and Apollo Management. Two of those funds also own Caesars Entertainment, which might create some interesting “Chinese wall” situations. (Can’t have trade secrets passing back and forth, … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, Colorado, Current, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, Harrah's, International, North Las Vegas, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Taxes | Comments Off on Aliante Station changes hands but little else; Amigo Adelson

iTrump, scandal, Sachs and tax

Posted on October 21, 2011 by David McKee

Cyber-Trump. Faux ex-presidential candidate and NBC-TV comedy star Donald Trump has made his views known on Internet gambling … like anybody cares. Prepare for a shocker, folks. The Donald is — Gasp! — in favor of it. There was, of … Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Atlantic City, Carl Icahn, Colony Capital, Cretins, Culinary Union, Current, Detroit, Don Barden, Economy, Election, Goldman Sachs, Harrah's, Internet gambling, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, Taxes, The Strip, Tourism | 1 Comment

Quote of the Day

Posted on October 21, 2011 by David McKee

“For whatever you think of [Mitt] Romney and his callous message to Nevadans, the lesson here is this: Once you’ve fallen for the scam — be it Tulips in 1630, Pets.com in 1999, or Las Vegas houses in 2005 — … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy | Comments Off on Quote of the Day

10 Years in Two Minutes

Posted on October 21, 2011 by David McKee
Posted in Cordish Co., Economy, International, Maryland | 1 Comment

ColSux: They’re outta here!; Accord in Motown; Murren changes course

Posted on October 20, 2011 by David McKee

Those last few remnants of Columbia Sussex CEO William J. Yung‘s former casino empire continue to topple about him. The Kentucky-based oligarch, whose properties are notorious for their poor working conditions and even worse maintenance, has been reaping a gargantuan … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Columbia Sussex, Culinary Union, Dan Lee, Detroit, Donald Trump, Economy, Environment, G2E, Harrah's, International, Lake Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Louisiana, Marketing, MGM Mirage, Pets, Pinnacle Entertainment, Politics, Sports, Texas, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on ColSux: They’re outta here!; Accord in Motown; Murren changes course

MSM tunes Steve Wynn out

Posted on October 20, 2011 by David McKee

Has Steve Wynn jumped the shark? That is a question I never, ever thought I’d be asking. But an interesting thing happened in the wake of Winn Wynn Resorts‘ most recent conference call. Toward the end, he went on his … Continue reading →

Posted in Boyd Gaming, California, Carl Icahn, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Florida, Harrah's, history, Illinois, International, Massachusetts, MGM Mirage, Plaza, Politics, Racinos, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, The Strip, Tourism, Wall Street | 5 Comments

What if they gave a casino and no one came?

Posted on October 18, 2011 by David McKee

Such been the plight of Maryland, a state that’s experienced the curious predicament of having more casino licenses than applicants. It’s much the same as Kansas, where things have gone awful quiet. Now, Kansas is like a corn-fed Macao: You … Continue reading →

Posted in Cordish Co., Current, Donald Trump, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, International, Isle of Capri, Kansas, Macau, Maryland, Ohio, Penn National, Racinos, Regulation, Taxes, West Virginia | 1 Comment

What’s said in Vegas …

Posted on October 18, 2011 by David McKee

Confronted with a bunch of mossbacked codgers (the Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board) and a backwater newspaper whilst warming up for his Venetian gig tonight, Mitt Romney must have figured he had the luxury of thinking aloud. What happens here, … Continue reading →

Posted in Current, Economy, Election, G2E, Lake Las Vegas, LVCVA, Sheldon Adelson, Tourism, TV | 2 Comments